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G. C. PYLE.

ELEGTRIG ARG LIGHT. No. 353.643. Patented Nov. 30,1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE C. PYLE, OF CUYAHOGA FALLS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICANELECTRIC HEAD LIGHT COMPANY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

ELECTRIC-ARC LIGHT.

-SPIECIPICATICIIN' forming part'of Letters Patent No. 353,643, datedNovember 30, 1886.

Application filed May 5, 1886.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE C. PYLE, of v Cuyahoga Falls, in the countyof Summit and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electric-Arc Lamps, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention applies to focusinglamps,

. and more particularly to those designed for conductible material,preferably of metallic copper, while the other electrode is of the usualcombustible carbon, and is movable or adjustable to and from the fixedelectrode and controlled by automatic regulating mechanism, as usual inautomatic lamps. I also attach a clamp or brace to the fixed electrode,at or near the point thereof, from which a guide extends to and'embracesthe movable electrode at or near. the point thereof, said guide or clampbeing insulated to prevent passage of the current through the same. Bythis means, therefore, one of the points is fixed and the other isguided through a fixed guide near the arc, so that the points cannot bejarred or shaken out of line by the jar of the locomotive; and as one ofthe electrodes is stationary and non-consu1ning and the other isconstantly fed or adjusted to it, the are therefore remains at aconstant focus or fixed pointin relation to the refiector, and istherefore not displaced either by the effects of consumption. or jar.

These are most desirable advantages for all purposes for which afocusing-lamp is used, but more particularly for locomotive head-lights;and my invention therefore consists in the features above outlined, ashereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawings annexed, Figure 1 presents a side elevation of myimproved focusinglamp. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the brace orguiding-arm.

Referring to Fig. 1, c indicates the base of the lamp, designed to besecured to the lantern-board or headlight platform of the loco motive.This base has upright guides b b, in which the standard cis adjustable.From this standard two overhanging arms, d c, project, from which theelectrodes of the lamp extend toward each other, as shown. In the lowerarm, d, is secured the negative electrode f, which is fixed therein by aset-screw, h, or other means, which of course allows of its adjustmenthigher `or lower when the lamp is adjusted for use, but which rendersthe electrode stationary when the lamp is in action. Now, this electrodef is preferably made of a solid rod of copper turned to a conical pointat the end, Ythe extreme tip being, however, fiat or truncated, asshown; but this electrode may be made of any other material which willconduct the current and will not appreciably consume when in action,copper, however, being the most advantageous. r

The positive electrode g is made preferably of the usual carbon, and isautomatically adjustable to and from the copper electrode f, being held,as usual, in a carbon-holder, t, which projects from the mechanism-caset'. The case i incloses'suitable regulating mechanism connected to thecarbon-holder to automatically control the movements of the carbon, asusual in electric lamps, and as this mechanism may vary and is wellunderstood, and forms of' itself no part of my present invention, I havenot illustrated the same, as it -is not necessary to the understandingof 'my invention.

Now,l K indicates a steadying arm or supporter, which extendsparallelwith the electrodes across the meeting points thereof, with eachend turned at right angles toward and embracing the electrodes, as shownin Fig. 1. This arm is formed at its lower end with a claspingeye, a,provided with set-screws m, which is rmly clamped upon the copperelectrodef, at or near the point thereof, thus securing thesteadying-arm in a fixed position. The upper end of the arm is formedwith a guide eye or loop, o, through which the carbon electrode g passessmoothly, and which, embracing the same at or near the point, steadiesthe carbon firmly and guides it in its adjusting motions to and from thecopper electrode, but prevents all lateral play or side motion, and thusalways keeps the points in line, no matter how much jar or shake may beimparted bodily to the head-light by the motions of the locomotive. Theguide-loop o is insulated, as shown at p, from the metal of the arm K,so as to prevent passage of the current from one electrode to the otherthrough said arm; but the insulation may of course beintroduced at anyother point in the arm between the eyes o n.

r is the reflector, ofthe usual parabolic form, which is suitablysupported from the standard c, and is directed forward.

The electrodes project within the reflector, as usual, through openingsin the top and bottom thereof, and meet at the focus point of the same,as usual, and the steadying-arm K is made asthin as possible, and isturned forward in a central radial position, so that it shall obstructthe light to the least extent possible, as shown in Fig. 1.

In the practical operation of my improved lamp I modify the quality ofthe electric cnrrent somewhat from that usual in lamps having bothelectrodes of carbon, so as to increase the quantity while reducing theelectro-mo. tive force thereof, andI use a somewhat shorter arc thanusual. Under these conditions,when my improved lamp is in action, carbonis vaporized or dispensed from the positive pole and projected anddeposited on the copper tip of the negative pole, as indicated at 'v inFig. 1, thus forming a lm of solid carbon thereon, which is maintainedby fresh deposits continually. By this means the copper pole does notburn away appreciably, and does not appreciably tint the light of thearc, and it becomes the equivalent of a carbon pole without thedisadvantages thereof; hence by these means not only is the are kept ataconstant focus by reason of the stationary and non-consuming negativepole, but by means of the steadying and guiding arm, embracing theelectrode near the arc, all lateral play or vibration is prevented, andthe arc is maintained laterally in a xed position,no matter how much thelamp, as a whole, may be shaken and jarred by the throbbing and lurchingof the engine when under headway, which advantages, secured by thesimple means set forth, render my invention an important improvement infocusing and head-light lamps.

I do not,of course, confine myself to theparticular mechanicalconstruction or arrange ment of the parts of the lamp shown, as this maybe varied without departing from the essential features of my invention.

1. In afocusing are lamp, the combination, with a movable or adjustableelectrode and regulating mechanism to adjust the same, of a fixednon-consuming electrode, and a fixed brace or guide embracing or guidingthe movable electrode at or near the tip thereof, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, in a focusing-lamp, with a movable or adjustableelectrode of carbon or equivalent consuming material, of a fixedelectrode of copper and a fixed guide embracing or steadying the movablecarbon electrode at or near the point thereof, substantially as setforth.

3. In a focusing arc lamp, the combination, with a movable or adjustableelect-rode, of a fixed non-consuming electrode, and a xed steadying armor brace, such as K, secured to the fixed electrode at or near the tipthereof, and having a guide to receive the movable electrode at or nearthe tip thereof, said arm being insulated between its extremities,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, in an electric lamp, with an automatically movableor adjustable carbon electrode, of an opposite fixed electrode ofcopper, a tip or point of deposited carbon upon the end of said copperelectrode, and a fixed brace or guide arranged to guide the movablecarbon electrode at or near the point thereof, substantially as hereinset forth.

GEO. C. PYLE.

Witnesses:

ORLANDO WILcox, L. WILcox.

